“I would like tangata whenua readers to take away a feeling that Māori language learning is achievable,” says Dr Awanui Te Huia (Ngāti Maniapoto), author of He reo tuku iho: Tangata whenua and te reo Māori.

Recently published by Te Herenga Waka University Press, the book recounts the experiences of Māori language learners and the barriers they can face to te reo Māori learning.

Awanui, a senior lecturer at Te Kawa a Māui—the School of Māori Studies, says she was motivated to write the book so tangata whenua could hear about the culturally enriching experiences of other Māori language learners and see their own experiences reflected.

The idea stems from a 2019 research project that Awanui led investigating te reo Māori uptake. She says the project identified several key factors affecting language use—a reduction in Māori experiences of racism, the growth of Māori-language-speaking communities, and supportive and effective learning environments.

“Community attitudes make a difference in how we feel about the language, so creating as many opportunities as possible where te reo Māori is used is crucial.”

Fostering the language also requires good teachers.

Language learners may have high levels of anxiety about “te tika o te reo” (being correct in our usage), she says. “Because we hold te reo in high regard, we want to get it right in the presence of others, which can, in turn, leave little room for being comfortable making mistakes. So there’s a dual goal here: we want correct usage and we want people to feel the path to ‘te tika o te reo’ is achievable without being put off.”

Despite te reo Māori being an official language, speakers can still find themselves under attack. Last year, complaints about te reo Māori use in the media resulted in the Broadcasting Standards Authority making a statement that the language didn’t raise any issues and that it would decline to hear further complaints.

Awanui encourages readers to find ways they can incorporate te reo Māori into their daily lives. She also emphasises the importance of community support in helping the language flourish.

“Having a community that can support whānau to use te reo Māori and foster fluency is central,” Awanui says.

“Ancestral language learning can be life changing. While there are challenges to learning te reo, there are ways in which we can support one another through these challenges.”

He reo tuku iho: Tangata whenua and te reo Māori, by Awanui Te Huia, is available from Te Herenga Waka University Press. $30.